Tithing Lottery Winnings

I said I wasn't going to do this but I'll make an exception when I "confuse" someone.

I posted:

James 4:4b...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

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Originally posted by Pastor Larry:

These comments don't address the lottery in anyway. I am not sure why they are here. I am no friend of the world. However, if someone wins the lottery, then I am not profiting from their loss; I am profiting from their gain.

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Hello! That verse is there because I would consider gambling a "worldly" thing and if so, you would be befriending a worldly thing.
You are profiting from the loss of all the losers. You are profiting from the gain of the winner only. There were many more losers than this one winner.

Again I don't understand why you are splitting the issue? If the act of gambling is something you would not do, then why would you accept profiting from the winner who did what you would not?

The professions you cited are all honorable professions. Their sin comes not from what they "do" for a living but "how" they conducted business in that profession.

No, a church should not do an investigation of how every member obtains income to decide whether their contributions will be accepted. But, allow me this: If any man in my church (SB) made it known to my preacher he was giving a portion of his lottery winnings to the church, my preacher would politely thank him for his intention but refuse his contribution.

Surely, there must be those who give to the church monies obtained by fraudulent means and the church has no way of knowing it. That situation is between the giver and God with no investigations required.

Sorry, I just can't picture Jesus buying a lottery ticket or accepting any portion of the winnings from it.

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Originally posted by JIMNSC:Hello! That verse is there because I would consider gambling a "worldly" thing and if so, you would be befriending a worldly thing.
You are profiting from the loss of all the losers. You are profiting from the gain of the winner only. There were many more losers than this one winner.

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As do I but accepting money from someone who won does not mean that I am participating in their sin. If someone works in a restaurant that sells alcohol, do you reject their offering as well or do you reject to be consistent with this view? This could be applied to a number of things that would prove very impractical. In the bottom line, it is still money that belongs to them.

If the act of gambling is something you would not do, then why would you accept profiting from the winner who did what you would not?

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There are a number of things I woulnd't do but I still accept money from them. I woulnd't teach school but I have some school teachers whose money spends very well. I wouldn't sell houses but I have realtors whose money ends up in the plate every week. If someone wants to give lottery money to the church, my hands are not tainted, at least not by any biblical principle you have shown here. I am not befriending the world by taking their money. I am taking the devil's resources and turning it against him to do God's work.

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The professions you cited are all honorable professions. Their sin comes not from what they "do" for a living but "how" they conducted business in that profession.

No, a church should not do an investigation of how every member obtains income to decide whether their contributions will be accepted. But, allow me this: If any man in my church (SB) made it known to my preacher he was giving a portion of his lottery winnings to the church, my preacher would politely thank him for his intention but refuse his contribution.

Surely, there must be those who give to the church monies obtained by fraudulent means and the church has no way of knowing it. That situation is between the giver and God with no investigations required.

Sorry, I just can't picture Jesus buying a lottery ticket or accepting any portion of the winnings from it.

A friend - Jim

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You would be speaking of the Same Jesus who ate dinner with Zacchaeus, a tax collector which loosely translated meant "thief" in the town of Jericho?

I'm sure Zacchaeus served meat that was only bought with clean money and not stolen money!

Originally posted by Hardsheller:
You would be speaking of the Same Jesus who ate dinner with Zacchaeus, a tax collector which loosely translated meant "thief" in the town of Jericho?

I'm sure Zacchaeus served meat that was only bought with clean money and not stolen money!

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The very same Jesus, Hardsheller - there's not but one Jesus. The way I read this story in Luke 19, Zacchaeus was guilty of his thievery before he was saved and Jesus was the epitome of loving others and HE saved him that day.

Zacchaeus "truly repented" of his wicked ways and notice that Jesus picked the "chief" of the publicans with whom to dine. HE picked the big dog to save which I would suppose may have even influenced the lives or actions of other tax collectors subordinate to Zacchaeus. Jesus walked in the midst of publicans and sinners - BUT - HE was not unequally yoked to them.

Jesus mingled with the worst to give them salvation if they would repent.

I'd say, because HE was perfect, Jesus blessed that meat before it was eaten - reckon that meat was still vile after it was blessed by our LORD?

You are assuming, Hardsheller, that particular meat came from wicked means. I doubt it did or Jesus would not have partaken. He lived a sinless life you know.

Now, allow me to assume something. You probably think lottery winnings are not dirty money or you might not have posed your question to me, right? Forgive me if I've assumed incorrectly. If I was correct in my assumption, then your blood will not be on my hands as I acted as the watchman and sounded the alarm. If I am in error - no harm done - except for rufflin' your feathers a little bit.